I think this may be what you are looking for.
An M.2 USB enclosure is like 25 bucks on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC
You could probably find just a cable for cheaper. But for 25 extra dollars you're upgrading your SSD and getting an external SSD.
Leave your current drive in place and get an m2 to usb converter like this: http://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC Then run any of a number of drive cloning software available. Then replace the current one with the new one. Then use the adapter to make the old drive a very fast external drive. Simples.
There are usb to m.2 enclosures like this: http://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC I've not used them myself so not sure how the controller works but if you're lucky you can clone from/to the ssd when using it with one of these!
That's not a m.2 2280 SSD?
If so, there's a number of choices in adaptors that go from m.2 to USB. They're cheap and would mean you could test the drive. Also, the 2280 drives are inexpensive to begin with. If this is a 2280, that is
update: this is the adaptor I have: http://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1451793963&sr=8-3&keywords=m.2+adapter
I attached the new ssd to the laptop, using an adapter like this one.
Then I cloned the old ssd to the new ssd using disk cloning software. I believe I've used Macrium reflect free, but I'm not to sure about that. It doesn't matter, you can use any cloning software of your choice.
Then I put the new ssd in the laptop.
The last thing was to 'add' the new space. Since the old ssd was smaller than the new ssd, there's was a lot of unallocated space. You can easily allocate that space using Windows' own disk management. However, it will become an extra partition (i.e. drive E:\ ). I didn't want an extra partition, I wanted a larger C:\ partition, so I used EaseUS Partition Manager (free edition) to move around the existing partitions and make the C drive bigger.
If you don't have a lot of data on the old ssd and you have a usb 3.0 adapter, it doesn't take that long. The software is also not that difficult, but (especially with the partition manager) you might have to be a bit careful ;)
I'm guessing it's something like an M.2 in a USB3 enclosure to try and max the USB3.0 5Gbps channel. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQ4LNJC.
I don't think the SB has USB3.1, but if it did I suppose its theoretically possible to make a PCIe M.2 to 3.1 connector that would max out at 10Gbps. I've never seen one in the wild, though.
If you bought the unit from Amazon, you can probably return it if it still looks new. I would not worry about them detecting if it was 'installed' or 'used'. While it is true that any drive keeps usage statistics, I doubt they will look.
Here's the external case I bought, that worked well http://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1433534736&sr=1-7&keywords=m.2+adaptor
Okay so. I before I pop in the new one. First place it into a device like this one.
Then I should run a program like "EaseUS Todo Back-up". "To clone the drive and then just extended it within Window." Did I get that right?
is this an incorrect adapter?
Yay adapters
You would need something like this
Would this work for recovery?
https://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC
You'll need something like this to transfer the data.
If you want an external enclosure something like this will work. http://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC
You can search for m.2 to usb, or m.2 external enclosure to find other options.
If you just want to hook up the drive via a sata cable and power power cable inside your desktop you could use something like this, http://www.microsatacables.com/1-8-inch-micro-sata-to-m-2-ngff-ssd-adapter
This is most likely the cheaper option. Search for m.2 to sata adapter to find other options.
This should work. I put M2 to USB in Amazon and found this - http://www.amazon.com/ZTC-Enclosure-Adapter-SuperSpeed-ZTC-EN004-BK/dp/B00KQ4LNJC/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449881593&sr=1-3&keywords=m.2+adapter
Yes, I'm waiting on an order from Crucial right now. Their website had a handy section (this) where you can select the make and model (X1C3 2015 was listed) and my 500GB was $210 I believe, which was cheaper than amazon or newegg. Just no super quick shipping. I should get mine next week because they are low on stock, but for the price and the fact that I'm not running out of space quite yet, I don't mind waiting. I also got a USB 3 housing (this) for the new one (while I clone it) and to put the old one in as a 128GB flash drive when I'm done.